Musical apparatus



March 18, 1930. J. c. BOSTE LMANN, JR 0, y MUSICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwomtoz Patented Mar. 18 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN c. BOSTELMANN, .13., on NEW YORK, n. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY ivmsnn ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT MUSICAL APPARATUS Application filed January 27, 1927. Serial No. 163,990.

This invention relates to remote dictation and instruction musical apparatus.

This invention has utility when incorporated for ready adjustment to keyboard types of musical instruments, as pianos, whereby the depression of a key thereon, by a player mechanism or manually transmits such as a signal to a corresponding key on one or more remote or independently operable instruments.

Referring to the 'drawings,-Fig. 1 is an elevation, with parts broken away, showing an embodiment of the invention from a master instrument to a plurality of student instruments; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the mounting of a student or receiving device hereunder; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line III-III, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the master dictator set, parts being broken away; Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV, Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a view of the wiring'diagram hereunder.

Musical instrument 1 is shown as provided with keyboard having keys 2 and is herein assembled and referred to as a master instrument, and which may be equipped with player device automaticallydepressing keys 2 thereon for effecting playing of the instrument. Above the keys 2 is fall-board 5, and at the opposite ends beyond the extent of the keys 2 of the keyboard are ledges ,6. Besides this master piano or musical instrument there may be a plurality of student instruments 1 Electric current supply hneslO, 11, may

be connected through switch 12 to transformer 13 to supply current by lines 14, 15.

The line 14 may extend to main frame member 16 herein shown as of'metal, as aluminum, provided longitudinally thereof with a seriesof'ledges 17 for contact by multiconnected by solder .20 with rods 21, which are located in notches 18 in the edge of the ledge 17 but without touching said ledge. Fromsuch solder connection 20 of the metallic cups 19 extend helical springs 22 having solder-connection-23 at insulation block 24 connected by screws 25 3 for operating record 4 in with the main frame 16. This block 24 has 21 may extend, but upwardly the rods 21 do not protrude. This block 24 is accordingly'an insulation guide for the series of parallel rods 21, which have an additional insulation guide block 27 connected by screws 28 to the frame 16. The blocks 24, 27, are parallel to each other. In alignmentwith the guide ways 26 in the block 24, the insulation block 27 has guide ways 29 thereby serving to hold the rods 21 in parallel with each other.

From the solder terminals 23 of the springs 22 extend lines 30 as master control lines having branches 31, 32, and so forth, to the desired number of student sets herein. These lines 31, 32, 33, preferably connect to similar note or key designation for signaling as by bulbs 34 at student set 35 grounding through such bulb 34 with frame 36, and line 37 completing circuit with line 14 from the transformer 13.

The frame 16, is herein Shown as finished or housed by cover plate 38 anchoredtherewith by screws 39. There is, accordingly, completed herein a master or dictation set 40 for cooperating with student receiving set or sets 35 simultaneously whether or not this master set be operated from amusical record 4 or by manual depression of the keys 2 in the dictation instrument 1. In this mode of instruction, the teacher may be free from operating the master dictation set, and thus be present or free to be present at the in struments of the different pupils for supplemental verbal instruction, as well as even assis'ting in handworkc These sets 35,40, are in interconnected units susceptible for ready assembly with standard type of keyboard instruments in that depending hooks 41 having insulation foot 42 may catch under fall-boards 5 and be held frictionally thereagainst by upward thrust from insulation foot 43 of screws 44 shifting the insulation foot 43 snugly against the ledges ,6. I

J frame,

To remove the sets, it is only necessary to back off the screws 44 slightly thus releasing the insulation hooked feet 42 from their frictional holding and the sets may be removed with or without the step-down transformer and transported for any desired re-assembly or storage. 7

Insulation cups or rubber ends 49 for the lower portions of the rods 21 rest on the keys 2, 2, being of such length that at the normal positions of rest for the keys, the contacts or terminals 19 are clear of the ledge 17.

From the construction it will be seen that the signal lamp 3-1 in the receiving instrument belonging or related to any particular key of the dictation or sending instrument will not be lighted as long as the said key is up. However, as soon as said key is down, the related spring forces its rod 21 downwardly until its cup 19 contacts with the metallic ledge 17, and thereby completes the electrical circuit through the related lamp 3st of the receiving instrument, which lamp thereupon lights and remains lighted until the key has been released into its up position.

What I claim is:

1. A musical dictator comprising a main frame, insulation guide means carried by the frame, rods directed by the guide means and yieldingly protruding to rest upon and move with the keys of a keyboard instrument, said rods as so supported having contacts shiftable with the rods in key depression, and electric circuit connections efi'ected by said contacts.

2. A musical dictator comprising a main frame, insulation bars extending longitudis nally of and carried by the frame, rods reciprocatingly mounted in and directed by the bars to rest upon and move with the keys of a keyboard instrument, electrical contacts shiftable with the rods in key operation, and electric circuit connections effected by said contacts.

3. A musical dictator comprising a main frame, a plurality of independent vertically disposed rods reciprocatingly supported by said frame to rest upon and move with the respective keys of a keyboard instrument; and electrical contacts on said frame and upon the several rods operated by the movement of said rods with the keys.

4. A musical dictator comprising a main a plurality of independent vertically disposed rods reciprocatingly supported by said frame to rest upon and move with the respective keys of a keyboard instrument; and electrical contacts on said frame and upon the several rods operated by the movement of said rods with the keys, the contacts on the rods engaging the contacts on the frame when the related keys are down and being separated when the keys are up.

5. In combination, a music dictation device detachably supportable across the keys of a keyboard instrument and being portable relatively thereto; a receiving device detachably supportable across the keys of another keyboard instrument and being portable relatively thereto; electrical connections operatively connecting said portable dictating and receiving devices, the dictating device comprising a plurality of electrical contacts together with elements for operating them arranged to rest upon and be movable with the respective keys of its keyboard instrument, and said receiving device comprising electrically operative signals at the respective keys of its keyboard instrument operatively connected by the aforesaid electrical connections with the corresponding aforesaid element-operated contacts of the dictation device.

6. A musical dictator comprising a main frame having a ledge providing terminals, a plurality of parallel rods, insulation guide means for the rods permitting them to reciprocate adjacent the frame, and electric circuit connections to the frame and separately to the rods, said rods yieldingly protruding from the frame to rest upon and move with the respective keys of a keyboard instrument, and electrical contacts on said rods engaging said terminals when the rods and keys are down.

7. A musical dictator comprising a main frame having a ledge providing terminals, a plurality of parallel rods, insulation guide means for the rods adjacent the frame, and electric circuit connections to the frame and separately to the rods including helical springs about the separate rods urging con tacts on the rods toward the terminals.

8. A musical dictator comprising a main frame having a ledge providing terminals, a plurality of parallel rods, insulation guide means for the rods adjacent the frame, and electric circuit connections to the frame and separately to the rods including helical springs about the separate rods urging contacts on the rods toward the terminals and free ends of the rods to yieldingly rest upon and move with the keys of a keyboard instrument.

9. A musical dictator comprising a main frame having a ledge providing terminals, a plurality of parallel rods, insulation guide means for the rods adjacent the frame, electric circuit connections to the frame and separately to the rods including helical springs about the separate rods urging contacts on the rods toward the terminals, and a cover plate on the frame, for the frame guide means and rods.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 26th day of January A. D. 1927.

JOHh C. BOSTELMANN, JR. 

